Footwear Cushion

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a footwear cushion. The footwear cushion includes a base and a pad protruding from the base. A protrusion is provided for protruding from the pad and for supporting a foot. The pad may support three central rays of the foot and be located between the outer rays of the foot. The protrusion may support a transverse metatarsal arch of the foot.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a footwear cushion.

BACKGROUND

The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and shouldnot be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that theprior art forms part of the common general knowledge.

Sore feet is a common problem which affects most people at one time oranother. Known footwear cushions or inserts may alleviate foot pain tosome extent, but do not target specific problem areas of the foot.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a footwear cushion thatsupports the foot in these problem areas to alleviate pain.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided afootwear cushion including:

-   -   a base;    -   a pad protruding from the base; and    -   a protrusion for protruding from the pad and for supporting a        foot.

The protrusion may include a tear-drop shaped dome. The protrusion mayrearwardly taper. The protrusion may be located in register with a fixedend of a central ray of the foot. In one embodiment, the protrusion maybe located in register with three central rays of the foot. Theprotrusion may be located so as to raise the fore-foot in the footwear.The protrusion may support a transverse metatarsal arch of the foot.

The pad may support three central rays of the foot. The pad may belocated between the outer rays of the foot. The pad may be locatedbehind the metatarsal heads with a front portion of the base located inregister with the metatarsal heads.

The base may taper rearwardly to facilitate insertion into high heelfootwear. The base may define a convex portion to suit flat soledfootwear.

The base may include adhesive for adhering the base to the insole.

The cushion may further includes pebbles extending from a front portionof the base to facilitate gripping with the foot.

The cushion may be molded and integrally formed from homogeneousresilient material. The material may be plastics or rubber material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred features, embodiments and variations of the invention may bediscerned from the following Detailed Description which providessufficient information for those skilled in the art to perform theinvention. The Detailed Description is not to be regarded as limitingthe scope of the preceding Summary of the Invention in any way. TheDetailed Description will make reference to a number of drawings asfollows:

FIG. 1 a is a plan view of a footwear cushion in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention,

FIG. 1 b is a side view of the footwear cushion of FIG. 1 a;

FIG. 2 a is a plan view showing a footwear cushion, in accordance withan embodiment of the present invention, aligned with a foot withinfootwear;

FIG. 2 b is a side view showing the footwear cushion of FIG. 2 a alignedwith a foot;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a footwear cushion in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a dimensioned footwear cushion in accordancewith an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided afootwear cushion 2 as shown in FIG. 1. The cushion 2 includes a base 4for locating over an insole of footwear and a protrusion 6 protrudingfrom the base 4. The protrusion 6 supports a transverse metatarsal archof a foot 12 as shown in FIG. 2. The footwear cushion 2 is described indetail below.

Returning to FIG. 1 a, the protrusion 6 is in the form of a tear-dropshaped dome, and rearwardly tapers to an apex 8. As can best be seen inFIG. 2 a, the protrusion 6 is located in register with a fixed end of acentral ray 10 c of the foot 12. Furthermore, the protrusion 6 islocated in register with ray 10 d of the foot 12 and raises thefore-foot in the footwear.

Returning to FIG. 1 a, the cushion 2 further includes a sulcus pad 14protruding from the base 4 and from which the protrusion 6 protrudes. Ascan best be seen in FIG. 2, the pad 14 supports the three central rays10 b, 10 c, 10 d of the foot 12, and is located between the outer rays10 a, 10 e of the foot 12 which are instead able to move more freely.The pad 14 is located behind the metatarsal heads 16 with a frontportion of the base 4 located in register with the metatarsal heads 16.

As can best be seen in FIG. 1 a, the base 4 defines a convex portion 18proximal its rear apex to suit cushion insertion into flat soledfootwear. In contrast, FIG. 3 shows a base 4 which tapers rearwardly tofacilitate insertion into high heel footwear and which defines a concaveportion 20 proximal its rear apex. The cushion 2 of FIG. 3 does notinclude a sulcus pad 14.

The base 4 includes adhesive for adhering the base 4 to the insole ofthe footwear. As can best be seen in FIGS. 1 b and 4, the cushion 2further includes rows of pebbles 22 extending from a front portion ofthe base 4 to facilitate gripping with the foot 12. The cushion 2 ismolded and integrally formed from homogeneous resilient material such asplastics or rubber material.

The foregoing preferred embodiments of the present invention provide afootwear cushion 2 that supports the foot 12 in problem areas toalleviate pain.

A person skilled in the art will appreciate that many embodiments andvariations can be made without departing from the ambit of the presentinvention.

In one embodiment, the protrusion 6 is located in register with thethree central rays 10 b, 10 c, 10 d of the foot 12.

The dimensions shown in FIG. 4 are in millimeters, and are by way ofexample only.

In compliance with the statute, the invention has been described inlanguage more or less specific to structural or methodical features. Itis to be understood that the invention is not limited to specificfeatures shown or described since the means herein described comprisespreferred forms of putting the invention into effect. The invention is,therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within theproper scope of the appended claims appropriately interpreted by thoseskilled in the art.

1. A footwear cushion comprising: a base; a pad protruding from thebase; and a protrusion for protruding from the pad and for supporting afoot, wherein the base, the pad and the protrusion engage with andsupport different regions of the foot.
 2. A footwear cushion as claimedin claim 1 wherein the pad supports three central rays of the foot.
 3. Afootwear cushion as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pad is locatedbetween the outer rays of the foot.
 4. A footwear cushion as claimed inclaim 1 wherein the pad is located behind metatarsal heads of the footwith a front portion of the base located in register with the metatarsalheads.
 5. A footwear cushion as claimed in claim 1, wherein theprotrusion includes a tear-drop shaped dome.
 6. A footwear cushion asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the protrusion rearwardly tapers.
 7. Afootwear cushion as claimed in claim 1 wherein the protrusion is locatedin registry with a fixed end of a central ray of the foot.
 8. A footwearcushion as claimed in claim 1 wherein the protrusion is located inregistry with three central rays of the foot.
 9. A footwear cushion asclaimed in claim 1 wherein the protrusion is located so as to raise thefore-foot in the footwear.
 10. A footwear cushion as claimed in claim 1wherein the protrusion supports a transverse metatarsal arch of thefoot.
 11. A footwear cushion as claimed in claim 1, wherein the basetapers rearwardly to facilitate insertion into high heel footwear.
 12. Afootwear cushion as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base defines aconvex portion to suit flat soled footwear.
 13. A footwear cushion asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the base includes adhesive for adhering thebase to an insole.
 14. A footwear cushion as claimed in claim 1, furtherincluding pebbles extending from a front portion of the base tofacilitate gripping with the foot.
 15. A footwear cushion as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the cushion is molded and integrally formed fromhomogeneous resilient material.
 16. A footwear cushion as claimed inclaim 15, wherein the material is comprised of a plastic or rubbermaterial.
 17. A footwear cushion as claimed in claim 1, wherein theprotrusion is directly connected to both the base and pad.
 18. Afootwear cushion comprising: a base underlying three central rays of afoot disposed between a pair of outer rays of the foot; a sulcus padcarried by the base underlying a plurality of the three central rays ofthe foot; and a transverse metatarsal arch support carried by the baseextending outwardly of the sulcus pad longitudinally toward a heel ofthe foot having a portion underlying a fixed end of one of the threecentral rays of the foot.
 19. A footwear cushion as claimed in claim 18,wherein the transverse metatarsal arch support comprises an elongateprotrusion that overlies a portion of the sulcus pad.
 20. A footwearcushion comprising: a base underlying extending between a pair of outerrays of a foot and underlying three central rays of the foot that aredisposed between the pair of outer rays of the foot; a sulcus padcarried by the base underlying at least a portion of each of the threecentral rays of the foot; and a transverse metatarsal arch supportcarried by the base that is elongate, underlies a plurality of the threecentral rays of the foot, and has a portion underlying a fixed end ofone of the plurality of the three central rays of the foot.